Natza Week 2017
by YAXON
Summary: October 1-7, with a theme of the Seven Deadly Sins. A celebration of the Natza ship.
1. Chapter 1

**Day One: Pride**

The tension in the Guild was palpable. Natsu had recklessly run off to challenge Zeref, and everyone was rallying to go and back him up. Well. Mostly everyone.

"Tch… That brat…!" Laxus muttered in annoyance. Next to him, Gray punched his palm in anticipation.

"Change of strategy it is, then! Let's go!" The Ice Make Wizard grinned, and stopped in his tracks when a certain scarlet knight spread her arms out in front of him.

"Wait." Erza interjected. "We'll move according to the First's plan. Let's leave Zeref to Natsu."

The entire Guild went still at Erza's words. For them, this was extraordinarily out of character for Erza Scarlet. She was always looking out for them, and the members of Team Natsu were no exception. Erza was especially close with Gray and Natsu, so it was even more outlandish for her to say such a thing in this instance. It was one thing to believe in your friends against overwhelming odds, but this was the Black Wizard Zeref they were talking about here. An immortal man who created Demons, the Eclipse Gate, and who knows what else. This wasn't a member of the Balam Alliance; Zeref was a frightening legend, and Erza was telling them to let Natsu go in alone against such a monster?!

" _Are you serious_?" Gray exploded, speaking for the entirety of the Guild. "We're talking about Zeref here! He has the Book of END, y'know?!"

Rather than be angry at Gray for speaking out, the scarlet knight remained calm as she explained her reasoning. Her face was carefully kept blank, and her posture was relaxed.

"Natsu said he's got a secret technique to defeat Zeref, so… he'll be alright." Erza promised. She couldn't help but picture him and the confidence he exuded when he boasted about this technique. In the past, she would have easily written that off as boyish arrogance. However, they had come a long way since the days of fighting Eisenwald and Phantom Lord. One by one, he steadily added to the list of his accomplishments – taking down Jellal, Zero, Zancrow, Hades, Future Rogue, Jackal, Franmalth, Mard Geer, and who knows how many others. There were times when he saved her – from Jellal and from Kyouka – and he had saved a lot more people than just her. At times, he did require help to take the enemy down – the threat was too great for one man to handle it alone.

And yet… this was one such time she felt she could trust him to handle it on his own. Maybe it was because of recent events with Avatar, and saving her from falling from Ajeel's ship, but Natsu had grown amazingly strong. If he said that he could defeat Zeref… then he would make it happen, somehow, some way. They were beyond the days of when he was training to surpass her. He'd long since reached that point of equaling her in strength, and there was no doubt in her mind that he was stronger than her now. How much stronger remained to be seen, but that was trivial at this point.

Gray heaved a sigh of frustration as he got up into the scarlet knight's face.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?! You've got too much faith in him, Erza!" Gray hated doubting Natsu like this, but now wasn't the time for mere 'belief'. There was a very real chance Natsu could _die_ here, and Erza was so damn calm!

The air became uncomfortable in the Guildhall as Erza and Gray had their standoff. It was stifling, and they could use one of Erza's buster swords to slice the tension. Carla seemed unsure of what to say, but in her mind, she knew Gray had a point about placing too much faith in the Fire Dragon Slayer, even with all of his past accomplishments. If it had been any other enemy, she would have sided with Erza. Wendy, on the other hand, took stock in Erza's words, but she was too nervous to say anything. And Juvia was shocked at how forceful the object of her affections was being about this. She'd never seen her Beloved speak out against Erza with such ferocity. Never. Even when the stakes were high, Gray could keep calm and composed, but this time was different. Juvia could tell.

"Gray-sama…" The Water mage murmured.

It seemed like an eternity before Erza responded. She never once broke eye contact, and she managed to keep her body relaxed, but there was a biting edge to her tone. A tone that conveyed disappointment and bitterness.

"So you're telling me, you don't believe in him?" The knight accused, her face now marred with a frown and hard eyes. Erza loathed coming down hard like this, but it was important to her that Gray understood. Out of everyone, he should have been the first to support her, and Natsu by proxy; and yet here he was, worrying over the Dragon Slayer. Natsu had always supported them in their own fights; he had left Gray to fight Lyon back on Galuna, and he listened when she said she could handle Kyouka of the Nine Demon Gates.

Was this fight important? Of course it was. This was an uphill battle they were facing – surrounded on all sides by powerfulfoes that even Master was wary of. How could this not be a monumental struggle for them? Natsu was just taking the initiative and gunning for the enemy's leader. Defeating Zeref would be a major boon for them. It would raise everyone's morale. Erza was not insinuating Natsu should fight the entirety of the war for them – she was saying Zeref was his fight, because he said that he could do it. _Their_ fight would be with Zeref's armies. Natsu would not be able to tackle both Zeref and the forces of Alvarez, so they needed to focus and make his task easier.

Couldn't Gray see that?

If his eyes softening were any indication, he was at least beginning to.

"Okay, okay! Stop this already…" Lucy begged as she got between them. Her eyes and nose scrunched together nervously.

Erza knew the Celestial mage didn't like them fighting with each other, but this time it had been unavoidable. Because despite everything he had done up to this point, it appeared everyone was quick to doubt Natsu. She could not let that stand. Doubt your own abilities, and you've already lost the war. Natsu was trying to tell them this by volunteering for the hardest battle of the war, because no one else would, not without significant backup. And they just didn't have the option of doing that, surrounded as they were.

"What do we do now, First?" Mira asked with a light nervousness to her tone. Mavis frowned in thought before nodding her head at Erza.

"Well, let's place our hopes on Natsu, then." The blonde decided. "His moves might seem reckless, but I'm sure there's a reason behind them. We're cornered from all sides… He must've thought that the fastest way to end it all was to take the enemy's leader down, and I must agree, that is the most effective way."

Erza couldn't help shooting the First Master a grateful look. If their tactician could understand Natsu's motivations, then the others would be convinced as well. Words could not describe her relief, as even Gray backed off.

"Let's just believe in him, shall we, Gray?" Mavis prompted the Ice Wizard. Gray rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, well… it's not like I don't…" The raven-haired man sighed. "It's just… y'know, him going out there all alone… and stuff…"

No one was buying the tough guy act. Even though they were rivals, Gray did care for Natsu. Even Juvia could see it.

"Well, he's not really alone, now is he…?" Carla asked with a kind smile. "Happy's there with him…"

Erza could only nod with a tiny smile tugging at her lips. Not only was Happy there with him, they all were, in spirit. It didn't matter if there were battlefields between them; Erza would fight off the entire world to keep Natsu alive. Because he already did the same for her, for all of them, with every war they faced as a Guild.

Although, her reasons for fighting could be said to be… _slightly_ different from everyone else's. Gray, Lucy, Mira, they all fought for a valuable, irreplaceable friend. Erza did as well. But for her, Natsu was more than "just" a precious member of her nakama. The funny thing about feelings is that they can change over time – grow into something you never imagined. Erza could now admit to herself that she loved Natsu Dragneel. His warrior's pride was a part of his charm, and you could be sure that he kept his promises.

And after this war was over, she would tell him exactly how she feels.

 **Border**

 **Author's Note: So, I'm not dead. But I've been busy with school, and there're a number of stories I've been wanting to get to – The Tale of Nagato Uzumaki, Fervent Crimson Flame, Natsu's Choice, I've been wanting to get to them all, but finding the time to write has been… fun. I probably won't get to that "tenth anniversary" celebration I wanted to get to, at least not on time. Hard to believe a week from now, I'll have been writing on here for ten years, eh?**

 **… I feel old.**

 **An explanation of the "Natza Week 2017" thing. Technically, no one's stepped up to organize anything, so make of this what you will. However, I wanted to celebrate the Natza ship, and the first week of October last year was the last time we had a Natza week, hence the reason I decided to initiate one this year. Because no one else was stepping up to do it, and it was a bummer, especially with how ambiguously the manga ended with some ships.**

 **From today, October 1, to Saturday, October 7, you can consider this "Natza Week 2017". Tempest35 threw an idea out there for prompts, so we went with the Seven Deadly Sins. Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth – that's the order of the prompts, so if anyone wants to chip in, there ya go. I dunno about you all, but I'm looking forward to Day Four. Hehe.**

 **Hope you all have a wonderful week~.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Day Two: Greed**

Natsu was a selfish guy, and he knew it. When it came to her… he could scarcely control himself. Certainly, for her happiness, he kept an emotional distance, but that didn't mean his feelings disappeared. They didn't diminish or lose their fervor. If anything, they grew out of control like a raging wildfire. Especially now that the war with Alvarez was over, and his mind wasn't stuck on avenging Igneel.

No, now his mind was stuck on her. Everything about her. Her scent, her body, her personality, everything about her drove him wild. And he was selfish and wanted her all for himself. He knew that wouldn't go over well if he admitted that out loud… so he didn't. Natsu kept it all bottled up. Whether it was the smart thing to do or not, it's what he did. He kept silent for her and only her.

Because if it ever came out how much he needed her… he would never be able to face her again. It would hurt her, because her heart belonged to someone else. No matter how close they were, he would never hold a candle to That Man… Hell, now that the war was over, she was brushing her hair a lot more, and taking even more care of her appearance…

Erza… wasn't acting like Erza. That Man had that kind of effect on her. She was actin' like Lucy or Mira, and Natsu just wanted Erza to be herself. And… he wanted Erza all to himself.

Natsu knew he was a selfish guy. And that's why he kept his distance. Because if he ever succumbed to temptation… he wouldn't be able to stop until Erza was all his.

"So this is where you were…"

Natsu didn't have to turn around to know that it was Erza. It'd been several weeks since That Man was… pardoned, and Natsu could still smell His scent hanging over Erza like a cloud. And it pissed him off, because That Man had everything handed to him on a platter – redemption, acceptance, Erza – and he still couldn't let go of the past. If _he_ was given even half the chance That Man had… No, he wasn't going to think about that. Not while she was here.

"Yeah…" Natsu muttered noncommittally as he turned his head back around to face the water, gripping his fishing rod tighter.

"You haven't stopped by the Guild for a few days…" Erza commented, trying to not sound accusatory. Natsu knew she was just concerned. That didn't make this confrontation any easier – hell, it was made that much harder because of it.

"I just… wanted to take a break. That's all." Natsu grunted out. Yeah, take a break from being around her. 'Cause he was finding it a lot harder to not say anything to her about how he felt…

Erza didn't reply for several minutes, and if he didn't have Dragon Slayer senses, he might've thought she had up and left. However, he did have heightened senses, and knew for a fact she was still there. The silence was stifling, and he could feel his flesh crawling from how uncomfortable he felt. Why did she have to come find him like this? Why?

Then, unexpectedly… she came and sat down next to him. And in typical Erza fashion, she didn't stop there. She casually rested her head on his shoulder, like it was the most natural thing to do… which, in fairness, it was pretty natural for how close they were, a lot of the time.

… It still made Natsu stiffen, though.

"Well, I miss you. It isn't the same without you there to start the Guild brawls."

Natsu slightly craned his head to stare at her, baffled.

"But you hate the brawls!"

In response, Erza nuzzled her head into his shoulder. A soft smile graced her lips as she had her eyes closed.

"I wouldn't say I _hate_ them… It's more like, sometimes you let them get too out of hand." Erza explained calmly. Natsu sweatdropped and offered up an example.

"Like when we destroy your strawberry cake?"

"Like when you destroy my strawberry cake." She confirmed without missing a beat.

Natsu wasn't sure how to handle this. Despite the lingering scent of That Man, Erza hadn't brought up how he had just… walked out, when That Man had dropped by the Guild last. And… she came out to see him because she _missed_ him. Of course he felt elated about that. But at the same time, their intimacy was making him feel… tempted. Problem was, if he tried to walk away now, Erza would definitely feel sad. He was stuck, for lack of a better term. He was going to hurt her either way, and… And he was selfish. He _should_ get up and leave – he would hurt her less that way. And yet… how could he turn down _this_? Natsu loved being intimate with Erza. And a lot of the time, it was her who initiated these bonding moments, not him. That meant on some level, she was enjoying it, too…

So… even if he would end up overindulging, he wouldn't shy away from their proximity. He was at a loss for what else to do or say, but he supposed there wasn't always a need for words. Without hesitation, he slid one arm around her waist, and kept quiet. Heat rushed to his cheeks from this one simple action.

"Natsu?" Erza blinked in confusion, lifting her head to face him. But he turned his head away so she wouldn't see his red cheeks.

"I… missed this, too…" Natsu confessed, feeling his face get even warmer. A lump began to form in his throat as he decided to be a little more daring. "I can't get enough of you, Erza. I want to spend all my time with you… I know it sounds stupid…"

To his surprise, Erza resumed leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I don't think it's stupid at all. I'm touched you feel that way, Natsu. Because… I honestly feel the same way as you. You're precious to me."

Natsu had been about to ask about how she felt about That Man, when he felt something foreign on his lips. It took a scarce few seconds to realize that Erza was kissing him… on the lips… And unsurprisingly, he was, in fact, returning her kiss rather greedily, because he loved the sensation of her lips. He swore he could detect the slightest hint of strawberries in the taste, and there was something irresistible about that…

Natsu couldn't hold back anymore. He cast aside his fishing rod and practically pounced on top of Erza, wrapping her in an affectionate hug. He wasn't all that surprised anymore to find out she was welcoming his advances. After all, she had initiated all this, so she had to know the effect she was having on him.

Like in anything they did together, they went all-out. Turns out he wasn't the only greedy one, and he was rather glad for it, because it meant he could finally unleash those pent-up emotions. He had a whole lot of love to dish out, and he wouldn't leave an inch of Erza untouched~.

 **Kazuka746: Frankly, I wouldn't be able to consistently update 30-31 days straight. The updates would be way shorter, and the quality would probably be much lower, too. It's a Week, 'cause that's how it's done. Nalu Week, Navia Week, a lot of ships follow that yearly trend of one week. For Natza, it only received a "Week" last year, and I didn't want the tradition to die just when it got started. So... I took up the reins, since no one else did. If they decide to "officially schedule" one at a later date, I'll celebrate that one, too. I just wanted to make sure we got one week this year, at the very least. Hopefully, it remains the first week of October - that's what it was last year, that's what it is this year (for now). I've rambled on, but that's my feelings on the "Natza Week" concept. It's a nice number - 7 days. You're not "under-celebrating" it, and you're not "over-celebrating". 7 days is manageable for us writers.**

 **MysticNatsu02: Thanks for the Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Day Three: Lust**

Natsu frowned thoughtfully as he lathered his hands with soap. Things had been getting weird lately between him and Erza. But… it wasn't a bad weird. More like a nice weird… a really, **really** nice weird… Take for example the way Erza dressed. She used to wear that Heart Kreuz armor all the time, even on days when they relaxed at the Guild. Well, she still did do that. But… she didn't do it _as much_ , if that made any sense? She'd taken more to wearing that white blouse, sure; that's what she wore more often around the Guild. But on days when they would be alone… she definitely dressed more daring. Bikini tops, panties that rode up on her firm ass so easily… They really got Natsu excited, for some reason. It amazed Natsu she didn't just strut around naked when they were alone… He was kinda disappointed she didn't, to tell the truth.

And the clothes thing was just one example. Bathtime definitely came back with a vengeance. Hell, it was what they were doing at that moment.

"You changed your perfume again…" Natsu idly noted as he scrubbed her back. He always liked running his hands over her soft skin. Maybe it was a weird habit, but whenever he found one of her scars, he warmed up his hands as if he were somehow treating those old wounds.

Natsu couldn't make those scars go away, but he could definitely make sure Erza knew he didn't think of her any less for having them. 'Cause to him, they weren't reminders to watch your back… they were war trophies. Erza emerged victorious from those battles, right? So it wasn't _that_ farfetched, to think of it that way.

"Just… trying something new~." Erza hummed as Natsu concentrated on a certain area of her back. She always seemed to let him know when she liked him hitting a certain spot. Natsu _always_ knew how she liked her back scrubbed; he wasn't too soft, like Lucy or Wendy, and he wasn't unnecessarily rough… like Gray. His scrubbing was… strong, but not _overwhelmingly_ strong, so she knew that she would be clean, and she wouldn't be sore afterward. Natsu's strong, hot hands made her whole body tingle in that very special way that only Natsu could pull off.

… And she wanted so much more because of it.

 _'Why can't he ever take a hint?! It's not fair!'_ The knight mentally growled. He made her feel so unbelievably good, and he did it without trying! Natsu was everything she wanted in a man, and she wanted him all for herself. But… she wanted that same passion returned, tenfold. Because if anyone could pull that off, Natsu could. She wanted him to willingly approach her about a relationship, because he'd more than earned it.

And yet, Natsu proved to be even less knowledgeable about romance than her. She knew, because she had checked. Natsu wasn't intelligent, but he was smart; and he was smart in all the wrong ways. At least, if someone… like her… wanted to take a relationship further… And she was about at her limit. She'd done everything possible to spell it out for him, save for saying the words themselves, and he hadn't jumped all over her, like she had not-so-secretly hoped. Erza knew Natsu understood the language of "action" best, and yet… and yet…

She would have to be even blunter. That was all there was to it.

"E-E-Erza…?" Natsu asked uncertainly, as the scarlet knight turned around and pinned him down, a determined scowl on her face. Had he done something to set her off?

"Now, you listen here…" The redhead ground out. A blush burst onto her cheeks as she stared down at him and vented her frustrations. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been trying to get your attention for the past month. Spending more time with you, wearing different clothes… and you haven't done a _thing_ …"

Natsu gulped as she hissed out that last part rather angrily. She was definitely pissed.

"Natsu Dragneel… what am I to you?" And then, anticlimactically… Erza stuttered out that last part, and Natsu saw her shift to another range of emotions. Uncertainty. Nervousness. Fear. Expectation, anticipation, whatever you wanna call it. She was expectin' an answer, and she wouldn't let up until she got… somethin' from him.

Trouble was, he didn't know _what_ she wanted. Specifically, what she wanted to hear. There was a ton of stuff he could say, and a lot of it would probably be stuff she didn't wanna hear… And the thing was, if he took too long to answer her, Erza might get the wrong idea. So, Natsu did what he always did when he was in a bind… He acted on his instincts, and hoped he wouldn't be joinin' Igneel on the other side 'cause he was too bold.

"N-N-Natsu?" Erza squeaked out as Natsu raised his lower arm so it could grip her own arm, which was pinning down his upper arm. Warily, she loosened her hold on him, and that proved to be a mistake on her part, as Natsu's now completely free arm gently brushed aside her other arm, completely freeing up his upper body.

Her blush deepened as he propped himself up enough to be eye level with her breasts, which were lightly bouncing up and down as her breathing quickened from Natsu's unexpected response. She didn't know what he was going to do, even looking into his eyes for any clues, and it sent pleasurable shivers all over her body. She would do _anything_ to experience this thrill of not knowing, again and again… But there was a level of fear as well, and Erza was worried he would back off, or tell her he felt this wasn't right, or…

Wh-What was he doing to her… Oh. _Oh_.

"I think I've always wanted to find out how these felt~…" Natsu teased as he took handfuls of her boobs and ran them through his fingers. They were softer than he thought they would be, but there was definitely a firmness to them that Lucy's didn't have. And to be honest, Natsu was kinda happy to encounter some resistance in his groping. It made him wanna try harder, and by the sounds of it, Erza was liking this attention that her breasts were getting.

He'd never seen her make that face before. And those moans she was making… Damnit, he wanted to hear those _all the time_. They weren't pain-filled moans… To be accurate, they sounded like… It sounded like Erza _needed_ him to do this. Needed _him_. More than just some shoulder to lean on, more than just another friend to celebrate and cry with… He couldn't believe Erza could sound like this. She was always so strong, that one person that he had to surpass, out of everyone else.

It kinda hurt to see her so vulnerable, but at the same time, she was only being like this with him. As far as he knew, no one else had seen her at this "low", and he wanted to keep it that way. Because everyone should only have to see the mighty Titania, the frightening woman who brought back intimidating souvenirs from jobs and totally wrecked you for ruining her cake. To him, that was who Erza was. That was who Erza _should_ be.

Erza noticed Natsu stop in his ministrations, and pouted at him, only for her whole face to go red at seeing such a fierce look in his eyes. One that she could not decipher on her own.

"N-Natsu? What's wrong?" She asked in concern, only for more heat to rush to her face at his response.

"I'm gonna protect that smile of yours." Natsu promised passionately. "You shouldn't _ever_ hafta feel insecure or vulnerable…!"

It took Erza a few moments to process those words, but then she smiled softly, and cupped a side of his face, caressing it lovingly.

"You idiot… always working me up like that…" Erza shook her head. "You already do that for me, and so much more… If I ever seem like that, it's because… it's because you've melted the barriers around my heart! I _want_ to be open like this with you… Natsu…"

She _wanted_ to be vulnerable around him? Natsu couldn't be sure how he felt about that. He didn't ever want her to feel weak. And yet… if it was because she trusted him so much, for him to see her at her weakest... Then, he wanted to make her happy. If she cared about him so deeply, he wanted to return that love a hundredfold.

And he would.

"Well," Natsu grinned up at her, making her heartbeat quicken once more. "Then I'm gonna give you a really good cleanin'~. Hands, tongue, you're gonna get it all~."

Erza could feel herself tear up, even as her body quivered in excitement.

"It's about time…"

~#~

 **Draconic king: I know it was short like the others, but I hope you enjoyed. :D**

 **WolfGaming: Thanks! Feels good to be back. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Day Four: Envy**

"How do you do it?"

The question was posed so tactlessly, on what seemed like just another any other day in the Guildhall. Natsu and the guys were brawling, Mirajane was watching them in amusement, Lucy was whining about needing rent money, Cana was drinking enough to make Bacchus tipsy… And Evergreen approached her out of the blue. Yes, she had that obsession of laying claim to the Titania title, but the lady of the Thunder Legion had a tendency to avoid her unless there was some competition going on.

"How do I do what…?" Erza asked calmly as she ate her strawberry cheesecake. Nothing soothed her more. Well. Almost nothing.

"Don't play coy!" The hazel-head huffed exasperatedly, pointing accusingly at the knight. "I'm talking about you and that hotheaded pet boy of yours!"

"'Pet boy'?" Erza parroted blankly, having no idea who Evergreen was referring to.

"The dragon! The one you take sooo much pride in!" Evergreen elaborated impatiently. It took Erza a few moments to connect the dots before her face matched the color of her hair.

"N-Natsu's not a pet…!" She was most certainly not imagining certain naughty bedroom scenarios as she squawked indignantly.

"And Elfman's not a musclebound oaf who harps on the virtues of manhood. Every day." Evergreen rolled her eyes and scoffed. "I can read between the lines, Titania. You've trained that boy well~."

"Th-That's not…!" Erza spluttered, her imagination clearly getting the better of her. The knight's cake was long forgotten now. She shook her head vigorously and took a deep, calming breath. "W-What about Natsu…?"

"I just want to know your guys' secret." The Eye Magic user repeated casually, gesturing vaguely with one arm while the other was on her hip. "You two aren't even married yet, and you make it seem like every day you're rekindling your relationship, like it just started again, even though it's been months now. I've never seen you two lose your passion; it's like the very notion of being together never gets boring. That all you'll ever 'need' is each other."

Okay, she might've been sugarcoating it a little… But damn if it wasn't mostly true. Evergreen knew she wasn't imagining it; even before they were dating, Natsu and Erza had this 'thing' going on… A bond that transcended friendship. A bond hotter than the infernos of hell, and was only getting **hotter** over time.

… Evergreen was jealous of them. She really was. Why did she have to get saddled with a muscleman that could be so insensitive at times? He could be so slow on the uptake, too…

Erza had gone rigid as her mouth opened and closed uncontrollably. This was a completely new experience for her – someone that clearly had no interest in Natsu, but was envious of their relationship all the same. She couldn't get mad about this. Evergreen was being perfectly reasonable. But… But… Erza didn't _want_ to answer! This was _their_ thing! Something _they_ struggled for. Giving the "secret" out freely would… cheapen it. Even though she wished the best for everyone in Fairy Tail.

"Well, Erza? What _is_ your dirty little secret~?" Mira taunted as she leaned over the bar counter between Erza and Evergreen. Erza puffed out her cheeks as she glared at the barmaid. Now she _definitely_ didn't want to say. That succubus wasn't going to steal Natsu away from her…!

Evergreen sighed as she waved her hand in the air vaguely.

"If you don't want to talk about the mushy 'we know each other so well' crap, that's fine." The hazel-haired woman said dismissively. "I know you and that hothead well enough to know you two don't _always_ get along. I just want to know how you get past the times when he's a colossal buffoon. Like… how's your bedroom action? Does he compensate that way?"

Erza's eyes bulged at the very direct and personal question, and even Mira sweatdropped at Evergreen's tactlessness. You put it bluntly like that, and Erza has no chance of misinterpreting the question. Oh, this was going to be dreadfully amusing no matter how Erza answered.

"I... He… Natsu… me…" Erza stumbled over her own words, but unfortunately, Gray cut in before she could get too wound up.

"Pfft. Erza and Flamebrain? Physical? You'd think they would be, but me 'n Luce haven't noticed anything." The Ice mage scratched the side of his head casually from where he was sitting, a little bit away from the bar counter. Naturally, he was topless again.

"Speak for yourself!" Lucy grumbled sourly. " _You_ didn't have to come home to find them using _your_ tub because they were waiting for you!"

Gray shrugged.

"We always use your apartment as a place to meet up, though."

"And normal people call that breaking and entering!" Lucy groused.

"Guys, guys, we're getting sidetracked here~!" Cana exclaimed, garnering a twitch from the scarlet knight. "Since we don't know if they bump uglies, we should set up a betting pool! It's not like Erza's gonna talk!"

While Erza spluttered indignantly, Evergreen huffed stubbornly.

"I suppose you have a point…" Then, ever so casually, she added, "Put me down for thirty thousand Jewel on 'they're doing it', and I'll get you the money later."

Cana whooped as she made a note of it, and started scribbling like a madwoman as other Guild members started chiming in. Of course, Erza didn't like that, and loudly voiced her disapproval... But the organized chaos only stopped when Natsu was sent crashing into the bar counter beside the girls from one of Elfman's punches. Natsu bounced back with his usual energy, but he paused as he got a look at Erza's flustered face.

"Hey, guys~! What's goin' on?"

Mira grinned devilishly, and Erza opened her mouth to interject, but it was like the barmaid had been ready for Natsu to wind up near them, and had her line out before Erza could say two words.

"Oh, we were just talking about how good you were in bed~. How would _you_ rate her, Natsu?" Mira beamed like she asked how the weather was. Such a pleasant, innocent smile…

And Natsu was so nice to actually answer.

"Well, she's a bit of a masochist when we really get going. And she's got this really adorable face when-" But Natsu could say no more as his lovely scarlet knight knocked him out cold. It was too late, though – the damage had been done.

"Bit of a masochist, eh?" Evergreen grinned triumphantly even in the face of a fuming, humiliated Titania.

"…" Erza would not give them the satisfaction of any more details. She robotically resumed eating her cake.

"Maybe if I ask nicely, Natsu will show me how he is in bed." Mira teased. "It's not like you're talking about it, and I really wanna know~."

That did it. Erza stood up, plate in one hand, and stooped down to grab the Dragon Slayer by the scruff of his scarf before dragging him out of the Guildhall. The succubus had humiliated them enough for one day, and they would not be coming back for a job for a while… Because Erza could afford to be petty, and she needed to remind Natsu how much of a 'masochist' she was, and how you were **not** supposed to tell others about your 'private time'. Especially when it involved your significant other.

Keeping her dragon away from that succubus's grubby hands was merely a side benefit. Yes. Because Erza liked to have her cake and eat it, too, and you did **not** share your 'cake' in this instance.

~#~

 **Draconic King: Good, good~**

 **25NaMi: Thanks for the reviews! Glad you like it! NaMi's in my Top four, tied for Third with Natsu x Sorano. Natsu x Ultear is definitely Second. :)**

 **thehappy: Don't worry, I plan to do my best and hit all the prompts; I was just super busy yesterday, and couldn't get this written up.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Day 5: Gluttony**

It'd been quite the shock for everyone, when they found out Erza had become a "pseudo-Dragon Slayer". Or more accurately, that her mother had unlocked dormant genes within her. Not even the scarlet knight had seen that coming. One night she'd gone to bed normally; the next morning, she woke up with overcharged senses. Smells exploded in her nostrils, the world seemed more vibrant, and she could hear… _everything_ …

The girls living in Fairy Hills – and the perverted men at the Guild – had learned that the hard way.

She wasn't a Dragon Slayer in the traditional sense. She didn't have an element to wield like Natsu, Laxus, Gajeel, or Wendy. But Erza didn't need to be a "true" Dragon Slayer, because she was powerful enough in her own right. For her, it was just an amazing opportunity to see the world as Natsu did; that's what she was getting out of these new abilities.

And it was running Mirajane, Kinana, and the other barmaids ragged, at the moment.

"This better not become a regular thing…" Lisanna wheezed as she ran back into the kitchen with a pile of dirty dishes. Mira chuckled sheepishly to herself as she cleaned up another load of dishes.

"Yeah, right… Given how much Natsu eats? We might as well move the market in here…" And that wasn't an exaggeration. Erza, an S-Class mage, with Natsu's appetite? They were going to need to stock up a looot more, as would the shopkeeps and stall owners…

This was going to take some getting used to. … Just like how they were getting used to Erza's mother hanging around the Guild, really. Of course Master Makarov _happily_ welcomed someone that was basically an older, more endowed version of Erza. Never mind that she was once an enemy, no. Fairy Tail accepts all kinds, especially busty redheads.

At least Natsu seemed happy with this development. And at least Erza hadn't incited Irene's wrath, despite how possessive she was of Natsu…

"It's sooo good!" Erza cried as she shivered from her head to her toes in delight. She was currently in the middle of her… twelfth slice of strawberry cheesecake, and it looked like she'd be moving onto her thirteenth slice momentarily. She'd gone through Kami knows how many "main courses", and now she was mercifully on dessert.

… Merciful for the poor overworked barmaids, that is.

"Wow, Erza! You ate almost as much as me!" Natsu grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Happy snorted and pointed at Natsu's table.

"You didn't eat nearly as much as Erza did!"

"Shut it, Happy! It was close!" Natsu grumped, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"She ate twice as much as you!" The Exceed argued. Natsu shook his head firmly.

"Twenty five percent more than me _at most_!"

While the two besties bickered, Erza was in a state of pure bliss with each bite of cake she ate. Truly, strawberry cheesecake was the food of the gods! Her heightened senses only substantiated this indisputable fact. Her taste buds were weeping for joy, and the _smell_ …

Put simply, Erza was very, very, **very** happy. If Natsu experienced this every meal, it was little wonder he shoved down copious amounts of food down his gullet! She really should be less harsh with him about table manners; it was all too easy to see his point of view about food "all going to the same place" now. Dragons had big tummies to fill~.

"My, my~. Keep that up, and you'll get a belly on you, Er-chan."

Erza couldn't fight the narrowing of her eyes as Irene Belserion – _not her mother_ -passed by her seat. Even with That Woman unlocking the Dragon Slayer genes, Erza still couldn't help bearing resentment toward her. Not only did she serve under Zeref and possess Wendy's body, she also presumed to just re-enter her "daughter's" life and join Fairy Tail without permission. And most importantly of all…!

"Get your hands off of Natsu!" The scarlet knight barked as Irene draped herself around the pyro's shoulders.

"Is my daughter still depressing you~?" Irene poked Natsu's cheek seductively. "Between you and me, I think you're a little too 'old' for Er-chan anyway~. If you want to get technical, you're around **my** age, sooo… Why don't we try resurrecting the dragons, you and I?"

Irene's tone was bright, friendly, and very tempting. The swords that materialized and obliterated the table he and Happy were sitting at… not so much.

"How many times must I tell you?!" The knight snarled, and had donned her Nakagami Armor. "Natsu's **mine**!"

While Natsu was mildly irritated at being treated like a "possession", he couldn't deny the sense of nervousness and dread that was welling up inside him. This was mother and daughter facing off, after all. **Erza** and her mother. He might've stood a chance before those genes were unlocked within Erza, but now he was playing "catch-up" again, as Erza's senses were enhanced, and thus she was harder to land a hit on in their spars.

And Erza's mother… she was a dragon. Enough said.

"Look who's all grown-up and talking back to Mommy~." Irene leisurely turned around to face the pissed off knight. "What happened to that infatuation with the blue-haired one?"

" _You're_ the one who awoke these genes within me!" Erza pointed a sword at her accusingly. "I don't have to explain myself to you! All _you_ need to know is Natsu is **mine**."

Irene hummed thoughtfully.

"So, you're saying your body has betrayed your mind. That you've chosen Natsu to be your mate, and you will not accept sharing him." Irene smirked evilly as Erza's right eye began to twitch subtly. "Am I close~?"

Erza gritted her teeth and Requipped more swords into the air, putting the Guild more on edge.

"You're a terrible mother."

"Oooh, you acknowledged me as your mother. We're making progress~." Irene tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I should probably let you know it's only going to get better from here~. You're going to want to consummate your relationship before it becomes too hard to control your instincts. Oh. And mates are for life~."

"Do you want to die?!" The knight roared.

"Nope. I want lots of grandbabies, and for you to realize you'll be ravenous in more ways than one~. The both of you."

Natsu sweatdropped as he met Erza's eyes before looking away with a blush. Probably shouldn't get into the fact he'd had such thoughts in the past… It wasn't his fault, really! Irene said it herself, "Mates for life."

~#~

 **XTNTCN: Yeah, I was super busy yesterday. So I tried to make up for it with a double post today.**

 **25NaMi: Thanks!**


End file.
